As the Day Unfolds

Toby finished picking up the kid's toys and stowed
them away in the padded window seat, pausing as he
lowered the lid to look out the window and sigh. He
loved autumn, there was a nice long stretch there
where it was nothing but a pure sensory pleasure to
walk through cascades of fallen leaves and listen to
them rustle and crackle, with a whiff of smoke carried
in the crisp air from bonfires, or fireplaces as people
cranked them up for the winter right around the
corner. By this point, however, after a couple of
storms had torn branches off the trees and turned the
leaves into a sodden mess cluttering the lawn, that
charm had pretty much worn off.

Trouble was he just could never find the time for the
task of cleaning it all up. Of course, as his mother
was always pointing out, that was why there were
people whose business it was to take care of all those
pesky chores. And thinking of that, he went into the
kitchen and looked over the little bulletin board
there, trying to locate a business card his mother had
given him a while back for a landscaping business that
came highly recommended from her. Finally locating the
small rectangle of cardboard, he unpinned it and
leaned against the counter as he picked up the phone
and punched up the number, listening to it ring at the
other end.

After three rings someone picked it up and a man's
voice came over the line, "Room for a View,
landscaping and maintenance. What can I do for you?"

"Well," Toby shifted the phone to his other hand, "I
was wondering if you do yard clean ups? You know,
leaves and stuff?"

"What size property are we talking about?"

"Pretty good sized," he said, leaning his hip against
the counter.

"This something you need done right now?" the guy on
the other end said around the sound of paper being
riffled, like he was flipping through a book.

"If possible," Toby said, and decided to go ahead and
play his trump card. "You did some work for my mother,
Mrs. Victoria Beecher, a while back and she said if I
ever needed some work done I shouldn't hesitate to
give you a call."

More riffling, the sound of a pen scratching, then,
"Yeah, guess we could work you in today -- `bout half
an hour from now?"

"That sounds good. Will you be handling it yourself?"

A quiet sound at the other end of the line, sort of a
contemplative sigh. "Yeah, given I'm the only one
available at the moment."

"Well," Toby looked at the card again, "your slogan
does say you specialize in personal service."

"I guess it does. Okay, just give me a name and
address and I'll be right over."

"Tobias Beecher, 1162 Meadowlark Lane, Bryant Park.
See you in half an hour."

"You will. `Bye now."

click

Toby put the phone down, glad to be able to scratch
this item off his To-Do list, and headed to his study
to get some work done while he waited.

~*~
Toby poured out a cup of coffee, added milk and sugar
and stirred as he gazed out the kitchen window this
time. The guy from the landscaping business was out
there in the backyard, hard at work. And Toby sipped
his coffee, savoring the rich flavor and aroma as his
gaze lingered on the easy and comfortable movements of
the workman. He wouldn't have thought so mundane a
chore as raking up leaves could prove so riveting and
yet he couldn't take his eyes off the other man for
anything. His costume of work boots and form-fitting,
faded blue jeans, worn with a blue-and-green flannel
shirt buttoned over a white Henley had undoubtedly
been selected purely for comfort and practicality. It
was merely a tasty side benefit that they showed off a
body sculpted to perfection, tantalizing the voyeur
with what might be unveiled once the clothes were
discarded. Toby stood there and watched, cataloging
every one of those benefits as the workman, apparently
indifferent to the chill autumn air, paused to roll up
his sleeves and reveal muscular forearms before
pulling a pair of work gloves back on and squatting to
scoop a pile of leaves into a trash bag.

As the workman tied off the bag and tossed it in a
wheelbarrow, Toby took down another mug and poured
more coffee, stirring in just a pinch of sugar before
he carried both cups outside and over by the arbor
where the guy was raking up more leaves and twigs, the
air pungent with the smell of damp earth. "Hey," he
sat down on the garden bench nearby and held out the
second steaming cup of coffee, "thought you might like
a break."

"Thanks." He walked over, sexy confidence in every
step, and stripped off the gloves once more, setting
them down on the bench before he reached for the cup,
long fingers curving around the red ceramic to soak up
the warmth. Crystal blue eyes roved over Toby, a
corner of his mouth quirking upwards with a secretive
smile. "Good coffee," he said and took another drink.

Toby nodded, appreciating the close up view he was
afforded as the guy sat beside him, half-turned toward
him with one arm stretched out along the back of the
bench. Those eyes were so blue, so focused on him,
laced with a current of intimacy that warmed him right
up. "Keller, was it?" he said, shifting to face him.

"Chris," he said, offering the familiarity of his name
to go along with the boldness in his eyes. "Nice place
you've got here."

Toby took another drink of coffee, aware of the hand
resting so very near his shoulder. "Not quite as
impressive as my parent's place."

"Maybe not, but I'll bet there are plenty of
challenges."

"Yeah?" Toby gave him an interested look. "Like what?"

"Well," Keller took another sip of coffee, nodded over
at the patio, "the tile over there's looking worse for
wear, it could stand to be laid again."

"It could, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Keller confirmed, blue eyes smiling.

Toby gulped some coffee, tore his gaze away from that
handsome face for a nanosecond. "Anything else?"

"That tree there," Keller indicated one of the elms,
"it's got a balanced crotch," he said, gaze darting to
Toby's lap for a moment before coming back up to his
face.

"Does it?" Toby looked over there, back at Keller. "Is
that bad?"

"Yep, least for trees. It means those two branches are
growing equally and weakening each other. Just needs
some pruning."

"Well, my mother says you know what you're talking
about."

Keller nodded - and was it Toby's imagination or had
he scooted over just a squidge? He certainly felt much
closer all of a sudden, his physical presence harder
than ever to ignore. "She's sent a lot of good jobs my
way through her referrals."

Toby could feel the cast-iron scroll work of the bench
arm pressing into his back. He wasn't uncomfortable,
though, just ... really aware. "Have you done any work
for her lately?"

"Yeah, I was over there the other day, doing some work
in the conservatory and hardening-off."

Toby blinked. "Excuse me?"

That mouth twitched with another smile. "Getting some
plants ready to move outside."

"Oh."

"What'd you think I meant?"

"I ... Nothing." God, he really was close now, close
enough for Toby feel the heat of his body, to smell
his aftershave. "I'm ... surprised you're using a plain
old rake for this job. Don't you have ... blowers, for
that?"

"Well, I don't know," Keller said, voice dropped to a
warm and raspy whisper as he loomed ever closer, "did
you want me to blow something?"

Powerless to resist, Toby snaked a hand around the
back of his neck, fingers toying with the short, dark
hair there. "Just how personal are your services?" he
murmured, those tempting lips only a hairsbreadth
away.

"How personal do you want it?" Keller's breath
caressed his cheek as he spoke.

Toby hauled him in, seeking those lips. "This
personal," he breathed.

"Oh yeah," Keller growled, arms going around him, one
hand buried in his hair, "hands on all the way, baby."
He pressed Toby's head close, kissing his mouth,
tongue dancing along his lower lip before darting
inside to slide against Toby's tongue, flick at the
roof of his mouth, a groan of deep satisfaction
welling up from the magnificent chest.

Nothing one-sided about that satisfaction, either.
Having tasted temptation, all Toby wanted was more,
and he pressed closer into Keller's embrace, fingers
crooked and gripping the short, dark hair as he opened
his mouth wider to the kiss, the warm, wet tongue
pushing inside and awakening an insatiable need. He
dragged his mouth across Keller's cheek, nuzzling his
jaw, dipping his head to indulge another desire and
trail his lips along the strong throat, down the vee
of the open Henley and back again as Keller gasped and
clutched at him and dragged him back for another deep,
deep kiss. He was the one who groaned this time as
Keller's kisses sizzled right to his groin and made
him push against the other man, craving more contact,
needing Keller to touch him ... touch him *everywhere*.
Keller nuzzled his ear, his jaw, lips barely grazing
his skin, and Toby's shudders had nothing to do with
the crisp, autumn air.

"Cold?" Keller murmured, kissing the corner of his
mouth, one hand rubbing up and down his back.

"Nuh-uh." Toby arched into that touch. He wanted his
naked flesh seared by this man's caress; he wanted
Keller sprawled out before him, just as naked, his to
claim.

"Sure?" Keller licked an earlobe, blew on it, and felt
Toby shiver in his arms.

"Maybe..." He angled his head to find the other man's
mouth again and snatch another kiss, and then another.
"Maybe just a little."

"We could take this inside."

Yes, they could take it inside. That was a really
brilliant idea in fact. "So you..." Toby stole another
kiss, "you do interiors, too?"

Keller's laugh was low and sexy and he pressed a kiss
to Toby's forehead. "The whole works, baby, whatever
you need."

That's what Toby called personal service, all right.

~*~
Pressed against the wall of the upstairs hallway, Toby
moaned as Keller unbuttoned his shirt, knuckles
scorching along his skin. He moaned again, needy, as
Keller's lips brushed along his collarbone. "Mmm," he
stroked the dark head, the short hairs sliding between
his fingers as he raised him up to kiss him again.
"Here's the bedroom."

"We could," Toby succumbed to the temptation of that
mouth once more, hovering so kissably close, begging
him to taste, to push his tongue deep inside, "we
could go in there," he finished, breathless. "Get
comfortable."

Keller nuzzled his ear, murmured, "You feeling
uncomfortable?"

Ohhh, fuck yes he was, and in the best way possible.
Hands gripping strong, broad shoulders, Toby reversed
their position and shoved Keller up against the wall,
spreading his arms out and holding him there as they
kissed again. "The," he had to suck in a deep breath
before he could go on, "the bed's really big and," he
was holding Keller immobile but didn't remotely have
the upper hand as the other man nuzzled his jaw,
licked over and over at the juncture of ear and jaw,
"and I -- oh man -- changed the sheets this morning..."
Teeth nipped his earlobe, lips brushed along the side
of his neck, fingers twining tight with his own.

"You did, huh?" Even the sexy voice tickled and teased
his skin, white teeth flashed him a smile that matched
the hunger in those blue eyes. "Expecting company?"

"Well, it never hurts to be prepared."

That got him a gentler smile, fondness in the steady
gaze. "Never thought I'd be sleepin' with a Boy
Scout."

Toby stepped back to give him a dubious look. "How
about we don't explore that scenario, though?"

Keller smiled again, the back of his hand rubbing
along Toby's cheek and jaw. "Deal." Arms enfolding him
again, lips brushing against his ear, he whispered,
"So what do you want to explore?"

Every inch of the body pressed against him. "Maybe we
can play it by ear?"

Keller kissed his ear, flicked his tongue against the
ridges. "Yeah, we can do that. Play it by ear," the
husky whisper was accompanied by another lazy swipe of
tongue, "by mouth," and a long, long, breath-robbing
kiss that left them both panting, Keller burying his
face against Toby's throat. A moment, voice raspier
than before as he clasped Toby's hand and kissed the
palm. "Play it by hand, and," smile so deliciously
wicked, he pressed that hand to his crotch, "by cock."

"Yeah, that," Toby groaned, swallowed, "that sounds
about right."

The other man smiled, nudged the door open. "In here?"

"Uh-huh." He grabbed Keller's hand now, drawing him
into the bedroom before he jumped him right there in
the hall.

"Been a while?" Keller purred, dropping a kiss at the
corner of his eye, hands resting at his waist.

"Eons." Toby cupped the back of his neck, scratching
through his hair. "You?"

"What's longer than eons?"

Toby smiled, pulled himself closer, wanting to feel
more of that hardness -- wanting Keller to feel what
he was doing to him. "So," they were kissing
constantly, hands in non-stop motion, attacking
buttons, impatiently shoving bothersome cloth out of
the way, "you don't get propositioned a lot on the
job?"

"Well," Keller smirked, it was blatant in his voice,
"I never said that."

Stepping back for visual confirmation of the smirk,
Toby couldn't quite contain a huff. "Really?"

The smirk threatened to grow to even more immense
proportions. "Babe," a wink backed it up, "just 'cause
I get offered candy don't mean I take it."

Mulling that over and filing it for future
consideration, Toby asked, "So is that what I am,
candy?"

"Well," Keller kissed his lips again, "you do taste
awful sweet."

"Like chocolate, peppermint?"

"Like Red Hots," Keller said and slipped his tongue
inside as if to confirm the flavor.

Better now, Toby thought, watching him sprawl out
there with comfortable abandon. They were both mostly
dressed, but shoes had been discarded, Keller's shirt
unbuttoned, and he was inching the white Henley up
over Keller's stomach. "I got it at an auction a while
ago." He rested his hand against the skin exposed,
absorbing the warmth.

"Anybody help you pick it out?" Keller's long fingers
combed through his hair.

"A ... friend had some input, yes."

One corner of Keller's mouth curved upward and he
turned his head to look at the framed photograph on
the nightstand. "That your friend?"

Toby huffed again and reached over to turn the photo
around. "Never mind that."

"Hmmmm," an index finger stroked along his cheek,
rubbed back and forth across his lower lip and he
tried to catch it, "one condition."

He caught the teasing digit, teeth nipping at the pad.
"What?"

"Call me Chris."

He raised his eyes to the darker blue ones that gazed
at him so intently, made him feel like no one else
existed in the world. "If you'll call me Toby."

A full smile then, warm and sexy. "Done," Chris
murmured, pulling him down into his arms, rolling them
across the big antique bed. "To - by," he crooned it
against his ear, lowering his head to kiss and lick
along his neck.

"Yes, like that," he wound his arms around him,
nuzzling his ear, "Chris."

That got him a satisfied sigh and a full body embrace.
"Ya got too many clothes on, Toby."

"So, do something about it," he said, giving him an
insolent look that provoked that hungry smile to
return.

"Something like this?" Chris opened his zipper and
dragged his pants down, s-l-o-w-l-y, pausing a moment
to bend down and run his tongue along a hipbone, the
crease, laying his head against his belly like the
fluttering muscles turned him on. He pulled the pants
the rest of the way off, along with the boxers,
casually letting everything fall on the carpet. When
Toby made to shrug out of his shirt, Chris stopped
him, urging him to lay back down with the white oxford
spread open. "Stay like that, you look sexy."

Believing what he saw in those eyes, Toby nodded. "You
like me in dishabille?"

"That mean half-naked and tasty?"

"Along those lines, yes."

"Then damn, I do."

Toby's smile was thoughtful, appreciative. "And if
others take a different view?"

Chris came in for another kiss. "You see anybody but
me and you in this room?"

"Not a soul." And, yes, that was fine by him. Even
more to his liking was Chris kneeling up on the bed and
peeling out of the Henley, giving that another fling
across the room before he slid off the generous
mattress and wriggled out of his jeans. Propped up on
his elbows, Toby took his time admiring the view,
acutely aware -- as sharply excited -- that he was
being voraciously ogled in turn. "Come here."

Chris came, slithering along the covers, smiling with
anticipation as he caught hold of Toby's leg and
kissed the ankle, drew his lips all along the muscular
calf, darting one lick behind his knee and when that
made Toby quiver and make a noise of pleasured
surprise, he licked some more, all the while exploring
the tender inner thigh with inquisitive, magical
fingers. The sorcery didn't stop there, it just
notched up as his lips and tongue went over that same
trail, lingering with maddening indolence -- a lick, a
kiss, fingers roving further, reaching between his
legs and playing along his perineum, teasing around
his anus as he groaned and squirmed and raised his
knees, hips bucking up off the bed as Chris buried his
mouth there, licking him -- "Oh God..." Reaching down,
he tried to catch hold of the dark head, keep him right
there, but the heavenly sinful mouth was already slipping
away, nuzzling his balls, the base of his cock. He got
him then, hand curved around the nape of his neck,
kneading, fingers sliding through dark, silky hair as he
murmured insensible things and Chris licked and sucked
along his shaft. And he wanted to keep quiet, he had to
throw an arm over his mouth so he could hear his lover's
murmurs and groans, as if the most gloriously erotic
sensation in all the world was Toby's cock big and hard in
his mouth.

"Mmmm ... mmmm ... " Toby groaned, dragging Chris up,
needing to kiss him, loving the weight of the powerful
body spread over him, so incredibly excited by the
desperate sounds of desire as they kissed, as their
hands roamed with restless arousal over each others
body. He had to caress that magnificent chest, had to
duck his head and lick at one hard little nipple as
Chris sighed and arched up from the mattress. They
grappled across the bed, covers slipping loose, until
Toby had Chris pinned face down against the soft
fabric, kissing the back of his neck, his ear, telling
him, "Fuck me, Chris." Another kiss. "Now, I want you
in me, now."

Chris shifted beneath him, on his back then and
looking up at him, searching his eyes. He nodded,
hands slipping along his waist, massaging the small of
his back and down over his ass as Toby knelt up,
straddling him. And, oh, that could have been enough,
hands wrapping around each other's erect cocks and
rubbing together, he didn't have to tumble down into
soft sheets, the dark cotton cool against his face,
but -- God almighty, stretched on his side, Chris
kissing the back of his neck, his shoulder blades -- did he
want to.

All he could do was feel. Feel Chris' tongue, wet and
warm, licking along the ridge of his spine, a hand
petting along his side, over his hip and down his leg.
All he could feel was exposed, completely laid bare to
his desire, to his lover's, gripping fistfuls of sheet
and whimpering as Chris opened him up more, relaxing
him with tongue and fingers, driving him so stark
raving mad he wanted to fucking hump the mattress. He
thought he heard a drawer slide open, a hand fumbling
for something inside; he didn't care, seconds later,
as wetness was painstakingly worked into him, all he
knew was that now, now, any second -- oh, Jesus
fucking Christ, yes! -- his lover would be inside him.
Face pressed into the pillow, Toby thrust back,
wanting him deeper, wanting to fuck himself on that
beautiful hard cock until neither one of them could
move.

Impossibly tangled up, Toby reveled in the feel of
Chris plastered along his back, pumping into him ...
in, out, again ... pausing to kiss his throat, biting
down, slide a hand along his belly to catch hold of
his cock and stroke it in time with each thrust. Toby
covered his hand, moving with him, both of them
slippery with sweat, no sound but the frantic creak of
bed-springs, the even more anxious, primal groans of
total gratification.

"Come on," Chris moaned, licked his throat, fucking
him harder, faster, "come on, baby, come on," stroking
him, Toby guiding that, thrusting into his hand,
coming in his hand, shuddering with each burst of pleasure,
beside himself with it as Chris came deep inside
him, rigid against him with the power that orgasm, crying
out with it. Collapsing against the sheets, breathless,
muscles quivering.

"I couldn't move," Toby found enough energy for that,
"if the house was on fire."

"Back at ya, babe."

~*~
"You realize you're gonna have to change the sheets
again."

"Oh, yeah, big whoop." Toby nestled closer with a huge
sigh of contentment, linen and laundry the furthest
thing from his mind.

Chris stroked his back. "If you were that anxious for
me to rake the leaves, you could've just said
something at breakfast."

"Well, yes," Toby kissed his shoulder, "but wasn't
this more fun?"

Laughing, Chris pulled him closer. "It was that.
Although now I'm wondering what you get up to with the
plumber."

"Hmph. The plumber looks like he never got the memo
about evolution."

"Yeah? Doesn't even make up for it with good ass
crack?"

"Nope." Toby got in even closer, tangling their feet
together. "Your ass has ruined me for any others." And
there was more than smidge of truth underneath that
snark.

Content with that, Chris sighed, angled his head
around to check the bedside clock. "When's The Lion
King let out?" he asked, straightening the photo of
him and Toby, dressed to the nines in tuxedos, arms
around each other.

"Five o'clock? But you know my folks'll take the kids
for ice cream on the way home."

"Think they'll bring us some?"

Toby raised his head to look at him. "We have at least
another hour of naked decadence to enjoy, no kids
underfoot, and you're thinking about ice cream?"

"Chunky Monkey, Beecher, I'm thinking about Chunky
Monkey. Besides," Chris pulled him down again, into a
kiss, "you know making love with you works up an appetite."

~end~

Note: If someone wanted to see this as set in the "Happy Accidents"
universe, the author would have no problem with that. :)

Des'ree - You gotta be

Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted
Don't be ashamed to cry

You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Herald what your mother said
Reading the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you
Others take a different view
My oh my, heh, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Don't ask no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning
You can't stop it, if you try to
This time it's danger staring you in the face

Remember
Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
My oh my heh, hey, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day